LUCKNOW: The Marriott group of hotels will open six new hotels by the end of 2016, as it embarks on a major expansion exercise in the country. The group announced the opening of its 222 room Fairfield By Marriott in the state capital, on Tuesday, and the business hotel brand would add four more by the end of the current calendar year.

"Fairfield by Marriott is our hotel brand focused on the business traveler. We have two Fairfields in Bangalore and one more we opened today in Lucknow. We will add four more in Indore, Amritsar, Jodhpur, and Belgaum by the end of this year as Fairfield expands aggressively into tier II and II cities" said Area Director, Sales and Marketing, South Asia, Marriott International, Manish Tolani.

The group which has 33 hotels under various brands in the country, would also see two other additions of Marriott Resorts in Jaisalmer and JW Marriott in Kolkata in 2016.Tolani said that Lucknow where they opened Renaissance by Marriott in September has become an important centre for the group as both hotels have seen an enthusiastic response.

"Normally it takes one year for a newly launched hotel property to ramp up and carve out a market in any city. But our response from Renaissance by Marriott, a lifestyle hotel, was more than enthusing, and ramped up within one quarter. Lucknow as a travel and business destination has become increasingly important. Government business, seminars and conferences apart from lot of business activity happening in the city and around it has made it an important destination" said Tolani.

He said that with international air connectivity, MNCs setting up offices and IT sector also picking up, Lucknow had emerged as an important market for the hospitality sector.

Tolani added that they are now actively scouting for other locations in Uttar Pradesh as they see a potential market in other big cities in the state.